Transition and Commercialization of Affordable Hypersonic TPS Manufactured Using a Selective Laser Heating Process

Mentis Sciences, Inc. (Mentis) is teaming with Battelle to scale and commercialize Battelle’s materials and manufacturing methods for affordable, high performance, thermal protection systems for hypersonic vehicles. The Selective Laser Heating (SLH) process (Figure 1) shows great promise to reduce the cost and lead time associated with carbon-carbon composite structures used as Thermal Protection Systems (TPS) in current baseline and planned future hypersonic weapon systems.  The SLH value proposition is simple.  Conventional C/C composite TPS structures require months-long processing cycles and large, expensive, specialty equipment.  There are relatively few suppliers to meet the current US demand for hypersonic TPS structures.   SLH is a process that provides the desired “carbonized” surface properties in a controlled precise manner only where such properties are needed.  SLH is not dependent on part size or geometry, it is inherently faster and more scalable that furnace-based processes. In Phase I the team will begin to demonstrate that the process can be successfully performed on preforms made under production relevant environments, and will also begin the mechanical characterization in preparation for scale-up.  Airframers and system integrators will be engaged to identify insertion opportunities that will drive the scaling of the manufacturing cells in Phase II and beyond.